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Methods of Circuit Analysis

• Two popular and powerful techniques for analyzing circuits are:

– Nodal analysis: a general procedure to find all the node voltages in

a circuit. It is based on KCL and Ohm’s Law.

– Loop analysis: another general approach to find mesh currents

which circulate around closed paths in the circuit. It is based on
KVL and Ohm’s Law.

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 More Terminology
• Reference node or ground: a node that is assumed to have a zero
potential.
– If the reference node is not explicitly indicated on the circuit one
can arbitrarily choose any node as the ground. We will soon see
how to choose a good ground node.

• Node voltage is the voltage difference/drop from a given node to

the reference node.

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 On the Way to Modified Nodal Analysis
• We identify four general types for branches as follows:
(we have seen these before, and here we are just formalizing them
by giving them proper names!):

R
branch RV

branch
I branch (this also include any branch that
consist of a current source in series with other
components)
V branch (also known as evil branch!)

Let’s see if we can calculate the current of these 4

 R Branch
• A branch that consist of only a resistor (or series
combination of resistors that can be represented by their
equivalent resistors)
I
 Vb
Va
I R
• How about the current in the other direction! I
Va
Vb
I R
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 RV Branch
• A branch that consist of a resistor (or series combination of resistors
that can be represented by their equivalent resistors) in series with a
voltage sourse (or a series combination of voltage coursed that
sources that can be represented by their
equivalent voltage source)
I
a b

Va  (Vb  Vs )  Va  Vb 
I R R
• How about the current inVthes other direction?
• What if the polarity of the voltage source is reversed? 6
 I Branch
• I branch: A branch that consists of only a current source!

I
I  Is

• Another example of I branch (some times called IR branch): A branch

that consists of a resistor (or equivalent resistor) in series with a
current source:
I
I  Is
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 V Branch
(Evil Branch)
• A branch that consists of only one voltage source:

I
a b I?

• However, the good news is: Vs  Va 

Vb
• Note: The sources in V, RV, I, and RI branch can be either
dependent (controlled) or independent sources.
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 Nodal Analysis (NA)
• A general technique to solve a circuit (i.e., to find voltage, current
and power of every element in the circuit).
• Unknowns:
1) controlling variables (for dependent sources)
2) current in V branches (evil branches)
3) voltage of each true node
• steps:
1. Identify every true node of the circuit.
2. Choose one of them as a reference node (node whose voltage is zero).
3. Write one equation per controlling current or voltage of
dependant sources.
4. Write the relationship between the two nodes of the V branch .
5. Write one KCL per true node.
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 4 Different Cases
CIRCUITS CONTAINING ONLY INDEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES CIRCUITS CONTAINING INDEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES

CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES

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CASE 1
CIRCUITS CONTAINING ONLY INDEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES

• Write the equations that lead to solve the following

circuit (finding all the currents and voltages).

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KCL @ Node 1

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Case 1 (cont’d)

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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.1
3.2
3.3

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CASE 2
CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES

• Write the equations that lead to solve the following

circuit (finding all the currents and voltages).

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 1 V1 V2 2

Write controlling variables

KCL @ Node 1

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17
Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.4
3.5
3.6

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CASE 3
CIRCUITS CONTAINING INDEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES
• Two cases

Independent voltage source is connected to independent voltage source is connected

the reference node between two non-reference nodes.

No need to write Have to form super

KCL for such node
node
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Use nodal analysis to find Io in the following circuit:

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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.7
3.8

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 networks containing

CASE 4 dependent
(controlled) sources
are treated in the
same manner as
described earlier.
CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES

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25
 KCL at Super node

Multiplying Eq with 1K and simplifying

Controlling variable of dependent source
2
1
KCL at node 3
Equation of Super node

Putting value of V2 from Eq. 1

Multiplying Eq with 1K and simplifying

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Combining Eq 2 and 3

[ 8
−4
−2
3 ][ ] [ ]
𝑉𝑥
𝑉3
=
6
2

Solving

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 Equation of Super node

KCL at node 5

2
KCL at Super node

Controlling variable of dependent source

Combining Eq 1, 2 and 3

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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.9
3.10
3.11
3.12

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LOOP
ANALYSIS
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 Node Analysis Loop Analysis

• Identify nodes in the circuit. • Identify loops in the circuit.

• Assign node voltages to every node • Assign loop current to every loop
• KCL for every node • KVL for every loop
• Unknown parameters are the node • Unknown parameters are the loop current
voltages • Once these loop currents have been
• Once these node voltages have been calculated, all the other parameters in the
calculated, all the other parameters in the network can easily be determined using
network can easily be determined using Ohm’s law.
Ohm’s law.

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 How Many KVL Equations??

B− N +1 linearly independent KVL equations for any network, where

B  number of branches in the circuit
N number of nodes.

B=8
N=5

B− N +1 = 8− 5 +1 =4.

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 3 Different Cases
CIRCUITS CONTAINING ONLY INDEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES CIRCUITS CONTAINING INDEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES

CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT SOURCES

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CASE 1
CIRCUITS CONTAINING ONLY INDEPENDENT VOLTAGE SOURCES

• Once these node voltages have been calculated, all the other
parameters in the network can easily be determined using Ohm’s law.

KVL for Loop 1

• Selecting loops in an other way should produce same results

12 K I1 - 6k I2 = 12

KVL for Loop 2 Home

work

-6 K I1 + 9k I2 = -3 35
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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.13
3.14

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CASE 2
CASE 2

CIRCUITS CONTAINING ONLY INDEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES

Just as the presence of a voltage source in a network simplified the nodal analysis, the presence of a
current source simplifies a loop analysis

KVL for Loop 1

KVL for Loop 2

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for Loop 1

for Loop 2

KVL for Loop 3

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 Home
Go through it work
from book
select two loop currents I1
and I2 such that I1 passes directly through the 2-mA source, and I 2 passes
directly through the 4-mA source,

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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.15
3.16
3.17

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CASE
CASE 3
3
CIRCUITS CONTAINING DEPENDENT SOURCES
First, we write the controlling equation for the dependent source.
Then we treat the dependent source as though it were an independent source when writing the
KVL equations.

KVL for Loop 2

Controlling equation of dependent source

KVL for Loop 1

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 KVL for Loop 3

KVL for Loop 4

Controlling equation of dependent source

for Loop 1

for Loop 2

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-4m 1
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Homework

Solve Learning Assessment Problem

3.19
3.20
3.21
3.22
3.23

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Q1) Find V0 in the circuit

Q2) Find V0 in the circuit

using nodal analysis

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